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BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that the human endometrium may contain a population of adult stem cells that are responsible for its remarkable regenerative capability. Recently, a subset of stem cells or progenitor cells in adult tissue has been identified as side-population cells (SP cells) displaying low staining with Hoechst 33342 by fluorescenceactivated cell sorter (FACS) analysis. In this study, we isolated SP cells from the human endometrium and analysed their properties. METHOD: Endometrial cells were obtained using enzymatic digestion from uterine hysterectomy for the treatment of uterine myoma and stained with Hoechst 33342 dye either alone or in combination with verapamil. The cells were then analysed using FACS. RESULTS: SP cells were present among normal human endometrial cells. Most SP cells were enriched in the CD9 2 CD13 2 fraction. These SP cells showed long-term repopulating properties and produced gland (CD9 CD132 cells isolated from the endometrium also generated gland-or stroma-like cells. CONCLUSIONS: SP cells in the human endometrium can function as progenitor cells. This is the first report of the phenotype of SP cells from normal human endometrial cells.

Walking, which can be safely performed and easily incorporated into daily life, can be recommended as an adjunct therapy to diet treatment in obese NIDDM patients, not only for BW reduction, but also for improvement of insulin sensitivity.

Background-It remains controversial whether or not Helicobacter pylori infection causes altered gastric acid secretion. A novel test for evaluating gastric acid secretion (endoscopic gastrin test; EGT) has recently been developed. Aim-To investigate by EGT the eVects of H pylori eradication on the state of gastric acid secretion in patients with peptic ulcer. Methods-Twenty six patients with duodenal ulcer and 33 with gastric ulcer, for all of whom H pylori infection had been documented, were studied by EGT, histological examination of gastric mucosa, and measurement of plasma gastrin levels before and one and seven months after H pylori eradication. Results-In patients with duodenal ulcer, the mean EGT value before H pylori eradication was higher than that in H pylori negative controls, but it had decreased significantly seven months after the treatment. In contrast, the mean EGT value of patients with gastric ulcer before H pylori eradication was lower than that in H pylori negative controls, but it had increased one month after the treatment; this was followed by a slight decrease at seven months. In both groups, mean EGT values seven months after the treatment were not significantly diVerent from the mean control value. Conclusions-The reduced acid secretion in gastric ulcer patients and gastric acid hypersecretion in duodenal ulcer patients were both normalised after the clearance of H pylori.

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